


Down The Line

by SnowingStarlight



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: (He gets better), (but not??), Angst and Hurt/Comfort, No Beta | We Die Like Men, Noctis is very confused, Other, Post-Canon Fix-It, Pryna is a good pupper, Slow Build, Spoilers for Episode Ardyn, Time Travel, Time Travel Fix-It, maybe? - Freeform, minor major character death, world building
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-28
Updated: 2019-09-28
Packaged: 2020-10-29 19:55:02
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,988
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20802071
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SnowingStarlight/pseuds/SnowingStarlight
Summary: Things weren't supposed to be this way. He was supposed to die, after that day, but they had brought him back and stuffed him into a time not his own, and a body that wasn't originally his but modified to him. He hated it, hated being here, even though he had come willingly at first. He missed his brothers, and he missed his home. But, he had things he had to do, but they never specified how to do them."I came here to study the tomb." Noctis plastered a fake smile onto his face, cocking a brow as he shifted his body to outstretch his arms, showing that he had no physical weapons on him. Gods, he felt like Ardyn right now, dramatic tone and posture and all. "Unless I need royal permission to study the tombs that His Majesty left to rot?"Apparently that was the wrong thing to say, seeing hurt flare on Regis' face, quickly replaced by a diplomatic expression. Oh, the Wall had fallen back recently, hadn't it? Whoops."No, you don't need permission from the Crown to study the tombs, however it is odd finding someone who isn't of our blood studying them.""Touche."





	Down The Line

**Author's Note:**

> Soooo, it may be just a tad bit after Friday, but I will say I tried my best! I went to double check the chapter during my lunch break and found a big chunk missing that hadn't saved last time I wrote, and had to fix it. I just hope it flows correctly like it had the first time.
> 
> Alternate Chapter Title: Whoops I Did It Again.

He had been willing to die to defeat Ardyn and set the world back into balance, in fact he  _ had  _ died to defeat Ardyn, his soul escaping into the Astral’s Realm to defeat the Accursed before the man’s own soul could be brought back into the mortal realm. Afterwards, Noctis had felt himself fading away as well, into what he had been hoping was the afterlife where he’d meet with Luna and his father again, and they’d wait for his brothers to meet them after living what would be hopefully very long lives.

Only moments before he could embrace the warmth that was the afterlife, the King Of Kings was jerked forcefully back into the Astral’s Realm. He fell to his knees in surprise while blue hues opened, the king’s sight blurring for just a second before everything came into sharp focus, and Noctis felt his stomach leave him at what he saw before him.

Four Astrals faced him, as he carefully stood, bad knee protesting, various expressions on their faces - even Leviathan, who’s expressions were often not seen upon her face.

Rahmut, who Noctis had taken a personal shine too, looked weary but wisdom and sorrow echoed in his eyes, which Noctis made contact with for a moment before he looked away to survey the others. Leviathan looked disgusted, but her cold fury shone most in her eyes, while Titan looked bored yet aggravated, and Shiva… Shiva looked cold on the outside, but in her eyes Noctis could see her heartbreak over having to kill (even temporary as it was) her longtime lover, and the hauntings of Luna’s death.

They easily towered over him, their voices echoing when one finally spoke, “The True King of Kings stands before us, and to him we bow our heads and apologize for the actions of our brethren, Bahamut and Ifrit.”

Noctis nearly literally choked at seeing the Astrals themselves bow their heads to him, even carrying on for a good minute before his confusion rang true in his tone. “W-Wait, why are you apologizing for them?”

“We have been idle against Bahamut’s planning for far too long,” it was Ramuh speaking this time, the Astral’s voice booming like thunder across the plane. “However, Ifrit’s actions under the guise of being demonized by the Accursed were not completely due to the Scourge.”

“Things were not supposed to go this way, originally,” came Shiva’s sigh, the air in front of her mouth clouding with icy mist despite the temperature being warm. “Ardyn Lucis Caelum was once a healer of great aptitude, and was supposed to be the original King of Lucis. However, his healing was merely pulling the Scourge from the sick’s bodies and into his own, where they were slowly being purified. Not at a fast enough rate to what he was pulling from others, and Bahamut would not let any of us step in.”

“Instead he corrupted Somnus Lucis Caelum’s mind,” Leviathan hissed, her voice crashing down upon Noctis. “Turned the prince against his elder brother, had him kill the original Oracle who would not turn against her fiance, and had him entrap him in a prison set to torture him until released.”

“When Niflheim released the Accursed and gave him power, Ardyn rashly turned to the one Astral Bahamut had not turned against him during that two millennia,” Titan rumbled, looking rightfully ashamed. “He tainted our brethren, successfully ostracizing himself from any of us even thinking of listening to him.”

“And he set his sights upon Insomnia, successfully continuing the plan Bahamut began at the beginning to wipe out all Scourge.” Ramuh was speaking again, arms crossing and staff settling at his side. “However, none of us could have foreseen the incident with Marilith. Because of her, you were kept from reaching your full potential, that power that could rival us.”

“We believe,” Shiva continued without missing a beat, “That it was a part of Bahamut’s plan as well. To keep you from growing strong enough to defeat him.”

“But why-” Noctis cut in suddenly, only to be cut off himself with another hiss from Leviathan.

“Because with the power to defeat him, you could save the Accursed and purge the Scourge. The Heavens are Bahamut’s realm, he was the one that caused the Meteor our brother has had to carry on his back for eons. It is because of him the Scourge wreaks havoc upon Eos.”

Noctis paled as he listened, too stunned to even try to cut in again as the Astrals carried on.

“It was Bahamut that did indeed gift the Crystal to your family, and the powers they carry as well as the Nox Fleuret line, - which included Ardyn’s healing ability - however because Ardyn became far too tained with the Scourge he was healing, he was naturally rejected, as Bahamut had planned, and that rejection turned Somnus to attempt to kill his own brother. Somnus killing Aera Nox Fleuret was just, how do you humans put it? Icing on the cake?”

“Why are you telling me all this now?” Noctis asked, his mind racing to keep up with the information they were giving him. A hysterical laugh slipped past his lips. “I could’ve used this years ago!”

“Because of your natural connection forged with Bahamut before your birth due to your bloodline,” Ramuh answered. “It is still there, and it is weak enough at the moment that he may not see what we are doing. Upon that, you had not, and have not, the power to take Bahamut down yourself still.”

“However you can be given allies to change that.” Shiva smiled, the expression cold and yet… sad. “You can break your connection to Bahamut using the power you have now, and we may send you back to a time where you can still save Ardyn and Eos by defeating Bahamut.”

“Can you can send me back before-” Noctis began hastily, but Shiva shook her head.

“Due to your connection with Umbra, and the times you have gone into the past with his help, we cannot risk sending you back then, not even just before the beginning of your journey, right before Insomnia fell. Besides, the Accursed would have already been saved by Niflheim.”

“Then when-"

“We cannot say at the moment. You shall find out… if you wish to cut your ties with Bahamut, travel back in time and rescue the Accursed.”

The king paused, considering it. A time where Insomnia would not fall, sure he’d have to defeat Niflheim all over again, but without Ardyn among them pulling at the strings, it might be a bit easier. Then again, it might not be because they wouldn’t be killed that easily. Also- “None of my friends would be there, would they?”

It was Titan who shook his head, but Shiva who answered. “No, your Majesty’s friends did not fall in the end as you have. They live yet still.”

“Good,” Noctis breathed a sigh of relief, having worried about them. They had taken the time to stall the daemons around the palace during his fight with Ardyn, and he had been scared he had taken too long to banish the daemons. Even if they had ten years to get accustomed to fighting in the darkness and against so many, the daemons had just kept pouring in from all sides; Noctis had felt it, felt the Scourge, echoing all around them. So, if he did this, he would have to go on without his brothers by his side again, psychically anyways.

He could still feel their power, their hearts and souls, echoing within his. He wasn’t alone in this, and that helped set Noctis’ decision. “I’ll go.”

The Astrals nodded, but Shiva held up a hand. “Use our powers to power your own, and break the connection you have with Bahamut first. If you cannot do that, then this trip would be for nothing and Bahamut would strike you down before any of us can rescue you. You shall still keep the power of the Armiger, for that is your birthright and although faintly connected to the Crystal, it has long since become a power amongst its own.”

Noctis nodded, and closed his eyes. Even if he didn’t know exactly what he was looking for, he could almost understand it. It had been there so long, he had never had time to consider the link between Bahamut and his family, how interconnected they were with the God of War. But interconnected they were still, even if the line was faint- and faint it was, when Noctis found it.

“It will be painful,” he could hear Shiva whisper into his ear. “Breaking any covenant with us shall be, but his shall be the most painful.”

Summoning Sword of The Father into his hand, eyes still closed, he focused on that line as the world around him fell completely silent. Noctis could almost picture it, a thin line no bigger than a thread, wrapped around him and further backwards - back down his family line - intertwined so deeply, despite being so small. Stretching that thin line out and away from it, towards Bahamut, he pulled upon the remnants of his friend’s powers, of his father’s, his legacy’s- the other Astral’s - and with a fell swoop the sword swung down.

The King of Light fell upon his knees screaming immediately, sword disappearing the second the line was sliced through. It felt as though something was being torn from his very soul, as if those lines wrapped around it was squeezing tight enough to cut right through him. It was hard to breathe, Noctis’ hand raising to grip at his chest whilst the other supported him against the floor, tears in his eyes as the world became fuzzy around him - when had he opened his eyes - and darkness was swift to follow, his head hitting the floor.

The last thing he saw were the Astrals leaning over him, and then blissful, painless silence.

* * *

He woke up, feeling exhausted and sore all over. Eyelids were slow to open, the king lying there for a good few minutes just taking his time to breathe properly, and when he finally did crack them open they were heavy.

Light shone above him, and wincing at his sore muscles, Noctis slowly sat up on the bed. It was… it was a familiar room? Nothing grand, no, just a single room with twin double-sized beds, old floorboards and walls painted recently. The curtains were shut, but light leaked in anyways from cracks around the sides, and slowly Noctis’ feet settled upon the floor.

“This is…” The motel in Old Lestallum? Why was he here of all places? Squinting his eyes against the light he slowly stood, testing his weight for a long moment before deciding that, yes, his legs could indeed hold him and that- yeah, he had to use the restroom.

Shuffling towards the front door, where the bathroom was located behind the wall tucked against the bed he’d been laying on, Noctis tried to catch up on what he had just experienced. They had sent him back in time, okay, his connect with Bahamut…. Noctis felt for it, finding a gaping hole left instead, body still stinging with the cuts of the string. He groped out further for the other Astrals, a hint of relief flooding through him when they were still there.

But where was he? Okay, scratch that,  _ when  _ was he?

Washing his hands, Noctis grumbled quietly to himself as he wondered if any of them would reappear to explain things further when he looked into the mirror. He paused for a long second, squinted again, and then a hand rose and waved at him as he waved at the person in the mirror.

Eyes widened as he realized that - yes, that was his reflection staring back at him, but why, for the love of the Six, did he have  _ maroon  _ hair?!

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you all enjoyed this chapter, and I'll see you all in two weeks for the next one, or next week for the next chapter of "Life Of Strife's!"
> 
> Toodles~! <3
> 
> PS. I still need to play Episode Ardyn, ehehe whoops.


End file.
